House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 13 Mar 2006 (pt 31)

13 Mar 2006 : Column 1948W—continued

Leaf Class Tankers

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) chartering costs, (b) maintenance

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budgets, (c) maintenance costs, (d) refitting costs, (e) operating budgets and (f) operating costs were of each of the Leaf Class of tankers in each year since their introduction. [55539]

Mr. Ingram: Neither operating nor support budgets are managed on the basis of individual vessels or types of vessels and as such, there are no distinct, identifiable budgets available for the four Leaf Class Support Tankers.

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Actual refit and maintenance costs have been provided for financial years 1998–99 onwards, based on prices at the time. Costs prior to 1998 are no longer held.

There is no management requirement for operating costs, including those associated with chartering, to be held by vessel type and these cannot therefore be provided. However, indicative costs, based on the cost of ownership of the Leaf Class, have been provided for each of the last three financial years. No indicative costs are held for earlier years.
£ million

1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05

Bayleaf

Actual refit costs — — — — — 3.787 —

Actual maintenance costs 0.018 0.254 0.145 0.162 0.236 0.249 0.259

Indicative operating costs — — — — 8.186 7.194 7.400

Brambleleaf

Actual refit costs — 4.737 — — — — 7.240

Actual maintenance costs 0.002 0.099 0.170 0.124 0.151 0.621 0.386

Indicative operating costs — — — — 7.283 5.023 7.089

Oakleaf

Actual refit costs — — 4.368 — — 4.149 —

Actual maintenance costs 0.034 0.075 0.162 0.122 0.119 0.251 0.317

Indicative operating costs — — — — 3.554 2.675 4.291

Orangeleaf

Actual refit costs 5.484 — — — — — 5.490

Actual maintenance costs 0.008 0.175 0.138 0.082 0.125 0.231 0.173

Indicative operating costs — — — — 6.475 5.438 5.100

	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05
Bayleaf
Actual refit costs	—	—	—	—	—	3.787	—
Actual maintenance costs	0.018	0.254	0.145	0.162	0.236	0.249	0.259
Indicative operating costs	—	—	—	—	8.186	7.194	7.400

Brambleleaf
Actual refit costs	—	4.737	—	—	—	—	7.240
Actual maintenance costs	0.002	0.099	0.170	0.124	0.151	0.621	0.386
Indicative operating costs	—	—	—	—	7.283	5.023	7.089

Oakleaf
Actual refit costs	—	—	4.368	—	—	4.149	—
Actual maintenance costs	0.034	0.075	0.162	0.122	0.119	0.251	0.317
Indicative operating costs	—	—	—	—	3.554	2.675	4.291

Orangeleaf
Actual refit costs	5.484	—	—	—	—	—	5.490
Actual maintenance costs	0.008	0.175	0.138	0.082	0.125	0.231	0.173
Indicative operating costs	—	—	—	—	6.475	5.438	5.100

Missile Defence

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 15 February 2006, Official Report, column 2096W, to the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead, on missile defence, what consultation process will be followed in reaching a decision on the future of the UK's missile defences. [57428]

John Reid [holding answer 10 March 2006]: No decisions have yet been taken on the acquisition of territorial missile defence for the UK and it is too early to say what consultation mechanisms might be appropriate to underpin any future decision making by the Government in this area.

RAF Lyneham

Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the re-use of RAF Lyneham after 2012. [57389]

Mr. Ingram [holding answer 10 March 2006]: RAF Lyneham is being considered under Project Belvedere, a Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) study, as a potential helicopter super base.

Should JHC not have a use for the site, in accordance with normal procedures, it will be considered for other defence uses.

Royal Army Medical Corps

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the (a) actual strength and (b) establishment of each regiment of the Royal Army Medical Corps. [57490]

Mr. Touhig: The following table shows the strength and liability of the Royal Army Medical Corps as at 1 January 2006. Information at Regiment level is not available centrally.
Trained strengths against liability for the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) as at 1 January 2006

Strength Liability

Total 2,810 3,270

Officers 950 940

Soldiers 1,860 2,330

Notes:
1. The liability figures consist of the UK Trained Army Personnel (where posts can be filled by Full-Time Reserve Service (FTRS) personnel) and the Manning and Training Margin (MTM). The MTM provides liability cover to prevent gaps being left in the unit when personnel become unavailable for certain manning and training reasons.
2. The data have been rounded to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.
3. Totals have been rounded separately and therefore may not be equal to the sum of their parts.

	Strength	Liability
Total	2,810	3,270
Officers	950	940
Soldiers	1,860	2,330

STOROB Process

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times (a) destroyers, (b) frigates, (c) minehunters and (d) submarines have undergone the STOROB process in each of the last five years. [57478]

Mr. Ingram: The number of times that items or components of ships' fitted equipment have been transferred between vessels in front-line service time is as follows.

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Destroyers Frigates Submarines Mine countermeasure vessels

2001 30 77 ⁽²⁷⁾— 14

2002 37 56 ⁽²⁷⁾— 30

2003 5 21 ⁽²⁸⁾54 10

2004 56 57 169 36

2005 43 45 221 18

⁽²⁷⁾ Not available.
⁽²⁸⁾ Six months only.

	Destroyers	Frigates	Submarines	Mine countermeasure vessels
2001	30	77	⁽²⁷⁾—	14
2002	37	56	⁽²⁷⁾—	30
2003	5	21	⁽²⁸⁾54	10
2004	56	57	169	36
2005	43	45	221	18

We do not have records of the number of such transfers between submarines before mid-2003.

Strategic Development (NATO)

Dr. Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the Comprehensive Political Guidance on the future strategic development of NATO agreed last December. [57487]

John Reid: It is not the Government's practice to publish NATO's internal strategic guidance.

Terrorism

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent co-operation there has been on anti-terrorism measures between the armed forces of Russia and the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [57272]

John Reid: In the last two years the armed forces of the United Kingdom and Russia have co-operated in a number of areas in the field of counter-terrorism. Four Russian officers have undertaken ordnance disposal courses, preceded by English language training. Discussions are in train on formal arrangements for exchanging technical information on explosive ordnance disposal. The Ministry of Defence, the International Institute of Strategic Studies and the Northern Ireland Office have jointly sponsored a series of visits to the UK by senior Russian military officers in which the proper conduct of counter-terrorist operations has been a major theme. From 14 to 16 February a Russian cruiser took part, with HMS Nottingham, in a NATO naval exercise in the Mediterranean, in preparation for forthcoming Russian participation in NATO's maritime counter-terrorist Operation Active Endeavour.

Veterans Day

Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which groups and organisations he consulted on the designation of a Veterans day on 27 June (a) prior to the decision being announced and (b) after the decision was announced. [58091]

Mr. Touhig: Plans to institute a national Veterans day were developed in close consultation with a number of the potential stakeholders, including in particular the Confederation of British Service and Ex-Service Organisation (COBSEO) which is the umbrella organisation representing around 200 service and ex-service organisations. We are continuing to work closely with COBSEO and others as we develop our more detailed plans for the day.

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Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government has to commemorate the contribution of the Home Guard on national Veterans Day on 27 June. [58169]

Mr. Touhig: We are currently developing our plans for Veterans Day. I will make an announcement shortly, when this work is complete.

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